Worked hard today on "Over the Rainbow (OTR)."
Looking to add new clusters while remembering old ones while trying not to sound too dissonant are the present challenges.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
January 23, 2012
Did not practice yesterday; went to see NRBQ instead. A great show by a buch of talented musicians. Back to the keys for me today.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
January 21, 2012
Working on a different tune throughout the day. With making the changes from cluster to cluster, my left hand fumbles, but it's getting better. Added a new Bb cluster.
Friday, January 20, 2012
January 20, 2012
An up and down day at the piano. Some clusters just sound too dissonant. Need to be patient adding new clusters to my repertoire.
C = 2 clusters known, but can use Sudnow chord for major
Db = 1 cluster known.
D = 2 clusters known.
Eb = 1 cluster known.
E = 2 clusters known.
F = 2 clusters known.
Gb = 1 cluster known.
G = 3 clusters known.
Ab = 1 cluster known.
A = 2 clusters known.
Bb = 1 cluster known.
B = 1 cluster known.
C = 2 clusters known, but can use Sudnow chord for major
Db = 1 cluster known.
D = 2 clusters known.
Eb = 1 cluster known.
E = 2 clusters known.
F = 2 clusters known.
Gb = 1 cluster known.
G = 3 clusters known.
Ab = 1 cluster known.
A = 2 clusters known.
Bb = 1 cluster known.
B = 1 cluster known.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
January 19, 2012; addendum I
I think I'm going to learn "She's Leaving Home" rather than "Misty." Maybe I'll wait to learn Misty for when I know more cluster substitutions for the notes in that tune. I think I may be able to get by with the clusters I know now learning the Beatles' tune.
January 19, 2012
Just a minor change of ideas. (This post will make better sense if the reader reads yesterday's post before proceeding). I've decided to make a couple of changes that relate to each other:
1) I'm not going to focus on playing a cluster for just about every note. I do not plan on always using a cluster for every note in my typical play, so why do so now? The only reason to do so would be to get used to changing clusters quickly. However, I think that reasoning is trumped by the rationale that this needs to be enjoyable, musical, relevant to the sounds I am looking for, and more reflective of how I would play a song in a typical playing situation.
2. So I won't be working on "She's Leaving Home" now, but rather a song that I have worked on in the past, and I have some familiarity with what notes sound good with clusters, and what notes might be better left played without an associated cluster: "Misty."
1) I'm not going to focus on playing a cluster for just about every note. I do not plan on always using a cluster for every note in my typical play, so why do so now? The only reason to do so would be to get used to changing clusters quickly. However, I think that reasoning is trumped by the rationale that this needs to be enjoyable, musical, relevant to the sounds I am looking for, and more reflective of how I would play a song in a typical playing situation.
2. So I won't be working on "She's Leaving Home" now, but rather a song that I have worked on in the past, and I have some familiarity with what notes sound good with clusters, and what notes might be better left played without an associated cluster: "Misty."
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 18, 2012
Trying to put it together in my first song using Moody's ideas. Started work on the Beatles' "She's Leaving Home." Decisions/struggles to be made or work through include:
1) Just how many melody notes should I voice?
2) Play any notes with just regular chords?
3) Speed of play?
4) Must stay patient.
5) Embellish play or play it straight?
Regarding #4 above, I think the more tunes I play, the more I'll learn how to make cluster changes quickly. Regarding #5, I think I should just learn it straight with little embellishment, since the goal at this point is how to change clusters quickly, and not embellishment, which can come later. Regarding #1, I think I should challenge myself to play as many clustered notes as possible, while trying to sound musical. Regarding #2, for now I think I should just play Moody chords since that's what I'm trying to learn how to do. Regarding #3, I think I need to play at the fastest but most appropriate speed as possible that I can play but as long as what is being played is on time and played without mistakes. That means its going to be pretty slow going for awhile.
1) Just how many melody notes should I voice?
2) Play any notes with just regular chords?
3) Speed of play?
4) Must stay patient.
5) Embellish play or play it straight?
Regarding #4 above, I think the more tunes I play, the more I'll learn how to make cluster changes quickly. Regarding #5, I think I should just learn it straight with little embellishment, since the goal at this point is how to change clusters quickly, and not embellishment, which can come later. Regarding #1, I think I should challenge myself to play as many clustered notes as possible, while trying to sound musical. Regarding #2, for now I think I should just play Moody chords since that's what I'm trying to learn how to do. Regarding #3, I think I need to play at the fastest but most appropriate speed as possible that I can play but as long as what is being played is on time and played without mistakes. That means its going to be pretty slow going for awhile.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
January 17, 2012
Ok, looks like I know a cluster for all 12 notes. Added new clusters for the C, D, G and A notes today, and it's nice to have choices. Time to SLOW DOWN learning new clusters and use them more in the context of playing songs. Been playing parts of songs using the clusters, and the hesitations experienced in changing clusters on time is a long term problem that will need to be addressed, I think, by just being patient, and when it's time, using the Sudnowian ideas of learning complete songs one at a time, played on time and without mistakes.
Monday, January 16, 2012
January 16, 2012
Working on trying to get those clusters in my hands by just playing songs on the fly. My speed of play is something needing to be worked on ... Playing songs without hesitations between changes. These clusters have a tendency to sound quite dissonant, so I will need to learn how to implement them with some thought for options regarding sounds I want. But first, let me really get these clusters in my hands. Worked today on learning two new clusters: one for the B note and one for the F# note.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
January 15, 2012
Not too easy remembering those chord shapes, but its worth it. So far, I've memorized chord shapes associated with the following notes: C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, G, Ab, A, and Bb. Only two more to go: F# and B.... Practiced these chords in context within the playing of some songs, and results have been interesting. Some initial observations of trying that:
1) Sometimes in playing the clusters within the context of songs, the chords have fit better than other times. Hence, Moody's recommendation to learn a number of chords for each note.
2) Practice is important for a number of reasons.... Getting those clusters in the hands and familiarizing those clusters so that they are as easy to get to as a normal C chord is crucial. Or else what happens is those hesitations playing songs trying to get the hands to play on time and perfectly. Not only practicing the chords, but playing them in the context of songs is going to help enormously in learning. In conclusion, I'd agree with Sudnow that learning clusters within the ontext of songs is crucial; however, for me, learning the chords in isolation is important also.
3) The chords Moody presents are very rich and sometimes quite dissonant, at least where I am now in my learning. Playing them in the context of songs serves to give practice in when to use them, and when possibly use regular chords instead.
Great stuff.
1) Sometimes in playing the clusters within the context of songs, the chords have fit better than other times. Hence, Moody's recommendation to learn a number of chords for each note.
2) Practice is important for a number of reasons.... Getting those clusters in the hands and familiarizing those clusters so that they are as easy to get to as a normal C chord is crucial. Or else what happens is those hesitations playing songs trying to get the hands to play on time and perfectly. Not only practicing the chords, but playing them in the context of songs is going to help enormously in learning. In conclusion, I'd agree with Sudnow that learning clusters within the ontext of songs is crucial; however, for me, learning the chords in isolation is important also.
3) The chords Moody presents are very rich and sometimes quite dissonant, at least where I am now in my learning. Playing them in the context of songs serves to give practice in when to use them, and when possibly use regular chords instead.
Great stuff.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Absolutely Fantastic New Direction
I am very happy in that I think I finally found the exact thing that I've been looking for. Its Gregory Moody's material, and wow....
Looks like I'll be soon be able to play just about any kind of ballad song I want without the pains of memorizing the song....its a matter of me just memorizing lush chord shapes. I'm on the fourth of 12 shapes needed to learn....whats good (and admittedly intimidating) is that there eventually more and more chords that I can add to the notes....really, really, cool.
As icing on the cake, it after learning these chords, it will be easy to match up a single noted melody (even of an original melody!!!) to lush chords.
Really interesting and exactly what I have been looking for. The Sudnow Method was a great way of introducing me to the stuff available in the Moody material.
Enthused!
Looks like I'll be soon be able to play just about any kind of ballad song I want without the pains of memorizing the song....its a matter of me just memorizing lush chord shapes. I'm on the fourth of 12 shapes needed to learn....whats good (and admittedly intimidating) is that there eventually more and more chords that I can add to the notes....really, really, cool.
As icing on the cake, it after learning these chords, it will be easy to match up a single noted melody (even of an original melody!!!) to lush chords.
Really interesting and exactly what I have been looking for. The Sudnow Method was a great way of introducing me to the stuff available in the Moody material.
Enthused!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
December 27, 2011
Ok, so I'm going in a different direction yet again.
Sent away for a home course that teaches to play by ear using big chords.
Stay tuned.
Sent away for a home course that teaches to play by ear using big chords.
Stay tuned.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
December 10, 2011
Been all over the wilderness trying to learn the piano. Decided to use 2012 to learn Allan Swain's Methods. He has two books that teach chords; open positions.
It seems like most of this blog has been devoted to me using the Sudnow Method. For me, I want to learn how to learn songs from fakebooks that take somewhat quicker for me to learn than using the Sudnow Method. And I don't want to play songs constantly in order to remember them, and that has been my experience with the Method. For me, anyway, I just don't remember songs easily using the Sudnow Method. If I don't play them often, I lose them. Other folks might have better luck than me. That whole paragraph is just my opinion of my own frustration with the Method, and again, others may have great experiences with the Method because their goals differ from mine. My goal is to be able to play a lot of songs quicker without the constant repitition that I seem to need utilizing the Method. I have learned a lot from the Method, may go back to it, or at the very least continue to utilize things I've learned feom the Method in my play.
I'm sure you have heard tge saying, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man how to fish and he eats for a lifetime." For me, in my humble opinion, the Sudnow Method gave me fish (taught me songs). But perhaps using and committing to the Swain method might teach me HOW to fish.
So while reserving my right to change my mind yet again, I'm going to try to commit 2012 to learning the Swain methods.
It seems like most of this blog has been devoted to me using the Sudnow Method. For me, I want to learn how to learn songs from fakebooks that take somewhat quicker for me to learn than using the Sudnow Method. And I don't want to play songs constantly in order to remember them, and that has been my experience with the Method. For me, anyway, I just don't remember songs easily using the Sudnow Method. If I don't play them often, I lose them. Other folks might have better luck than me. That whole paragraph is just my opinion of my own frustration with the Method, and again, others may have great experiences with the Method because their goals differ from mine. My goal is to be able to play a lot of songs quicker without the constant repitition that I seem to need utilizing the Method. I have learned a lot from the Method, may go back to it, or at the very least continue to utilize things I've learned feom the Method in my play.
I'm sure you have heard tge saying, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man how to fish and he eats for a lifetime." For me, in my humble opinion, the Sudnow Method gave me fish (taught me songs). But perhaps using and committing to the Swain method might teach me HOW to fish.
So while reserving my right to change my mind yet again, I'm going to try to commit 2012 to learning the Swain methods.
Friday, December 2, 2011
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